Seven for Five

The Washington Wizards will have another workout on Monday, but they have concluded workouts with the players they are considering for the No. 5 pick in the NBA draft on Thursday. Coach Flip Saunders told season ticket holders this week that the team is considering seven players for the spot, and it should be pretty obvious which players are in the mix.

Someone within the organization told me that I would be able to tell which players they are considering based on the players they bring in. Since Blake Griffin, Hasheem Thabeet and Ricky Rubio haven't/won't work out for the Wizards, we can eliminate them from that equation. That is, unless one of them slips.

So I thought it would be a good idea to go over the seven players in the mix and see which player you think the Wizards should take. That is, unless the Wizards trade him.

I avoided mentioning that ridiculous rumor about the team trading Antawn Jamison to Cleveland for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. I couldn't find the right words, so I'll let the New York Post's Peter Vecsey provide the proper beatdown to that one: "Don't believe word one of a report claiming the Wizards and Cavaliers discussed a Antawn Jamison for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic swap. Yeah, that makes sense, give up a 23-point, 10-rebound All-Star for a retread and a reject. Ernie Grunfeld wouldn't have made that trade the first day he arrived in America from Romania."

There will be several trade rumors circulating over the next few days, and I'll try to stay on top of anything that I believe has any traction. You know that Grunfeld is weighing all of his options. But for now, let's just go with the possibility that the Wizards cannot find an offer worthy of the fifth overall selection.

I might not be around at No. 5, guys. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

JAMES HARDEN, Arizona State Why the Wizards Should Take Him: The 6-5 sophomore shooting guard is an old-school, crafty scorer with range on his jump shot and surprising athleticism. Why They Should Pass: He had a disappointing NCAA Tournament and he struggles to shoot off the dribble.

TYREKE EVANS, MemphisWhy the Wizards Should Take Him:The 6-6 freshman point guard is a speed demon with the ball in his hands. He can play both guard positions and complement Gilbert Arenas.Why They Should Pass: He does not play well off the ball and lacks a consistent jump shot.

Yeah, I can play point guard. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images North America)

STEPHEN CURRY,DavidsonWhy the Wizards Should Take Him: The 6-3 junior is an awesome shooter, a prolific scorer and arguably the most NBA-ready guard, with his pedigree (son of former NBA player Dell Curry) and college experience. Why They Should Pass: He is slight and perhaps undersized. Not a true point guard.

JORDAN HILL,ArizonaWhy the Wizards Should Take Him: The 6-10 junior power forward is the best big man on the board, a rugged rebounder with decent athleticism and mid-range jump shot.Why They Should Pass: Remains an unfinished project that lacks polish. He is older than his peers and is an average, at best, defender.

DEMAR DEROZAN, USCWhy the Wizards Should Take Him: The 6-5 freshman shooting guard is an incredible athlete with the versatility to play multiple positions. A high-flyer with tremendous potential and good work ethic. Why They Should Pass: He remains unproven, lacks a consistent jump shot and was inconsistent in his one college season.

I'm a funny guy. I'll fit in with this team. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images North America)

JONNY FLYNN, SyracuseWhy the Wizards Should Take Him: The 6-0 sophomore point guard is a tenacious competitor with athleticism, scoring ability and playmaking skills.Why They Should Pass: He is undersized, dominates the ball and lacks range on his jumper.

BRANDON JENNINGS,Lottomatica Roma Why the Wizards Should Take Him: The 6-1 point guard is cocky, flashy and incredibly fast. He already has professional experience after spending a year in Italy. Why They Should Pass: He is a lightweight with limited strength and can make questionable decisions on the floor.

I'm not too much of a fan of any of these guys. None is a great fit for what the Wiz need: a 2 who can play lockdown D on the other squad's best perimeter scorer, and on the offensive end play off the ball and hit 3s to spread the floor for Gil.

- Harden: suspect D, didn't like the way he mailed it 2 lackluster games in the NCAA tourney
- Evans: I like the 6'11 wingspan, but a poor 3 point shooter (27%)
- Curry: opposite of Evans, shoots a nice 3 (40% over college career) but slight build will make him a defensive liability
- DeRozan: ESPN's John Hollinger rates him as a potential bust, ranked #54 out of 90 prospects. Ouch.
- Flynn & Jennings: tell me how two ball dominating PGs co-exist with Gilbert?
- Hill: looks like the 2nd coming of Etan Thomas to me, without the poetry.

I'd rather see the Wiz trade down and pick up UNC's Danny Green who nails the 3 better than any of these guys (41%, 5th best FG% on catch and shoot in college last year) and has been Roy Williams' go to defender for a couple years now. Use the #5 as additional bait to move Antawn-no-D-Jamison for Amare and Phoenix's #14.

We'll hear all about how that's a reach for Green, but I'm convinced he's better for us than any of those 7.

otherwise, we should trade down, possibly with NY as they seem really interested in curry. maybe we can get lee or hughes (or both) and their first round pick in exchange for ET and MJ expiring contracts and the number 5 pick and possibly another unproven talent. if we trade down, we should try to get evans if available. if hes gone, then derozan

Derozen- NO, the guy shot 10% from College 3 point land last season. His advisor is Master P.

Jennings- No, because to me, Flynn is better

Flynn- Yes, think he is going to be truely special. He was the best PG in the Big East last year. The Big East last year might have been the best conference ever.

James Harden- No, he ran his numbers up playing in the PAC-10 last season. There is a reason Austin Freeman was rated higher than him coming out of High School.

Hill- No. It is not that I do not like Hill, because I do. I just do not think the Wizards need another developing big man. They have Blatche in that role. Hill will not make us better next season.

Curry- No. I still am not sold on this kid. He looks too small to be effective in the NBA. He does have a good J, with a quick release but with big defenders in his face, I am not sure how effective he will be.

Evans- Yes, To me this pick comes down to Flynn or Evans, with Evans holding the edge because of his ability to play the 2 guard.

With enough projects on the roster and a shrinking window, we can realistically narrow this down even further.

Hill and DeRozan are projects. Our best player is a pg and his backup (Critt) is young, has size and skill and a pretty big upside. Unless the pg is a scorer, he's redundant. This eliminates, Flynn, Evans and Jennings.

That leaves us with Harden and Curry. Again, this team needs a mature player who can contribute immediately. By all accounts, both fit the bill. Is our more pressing need SG or PG?

Assuming Gil is healthy (and he appears to be), does a Gil/Curry combo work or does Gil/Harden sound better?

Is Harden an upgrade over NY and DS? Could he possible start? Yes.

Is Curry and upgrade over Gil or Critt at the pg or DS/NY at the 2?
No and possibly.

It seems to me like the logical choice is Harden. Of course there is one wild card that no one is talking about. Since we never brought him in it may not be a possiblity. I hear that Thabeet might fall.

Considering he's a boom or bust player, wouldn't it be prudent to at least consider him? We may wind up regretting not even bringing him in for a visit.

I can't believe some folks think the Wiz must shed the salaries of some of their best players (AJ/CB) to improve. Remember the Butler for Wally rumor near the trade deadline? Totally insulting and ignorant.

With the exception of Griffin, he might be the only guy in this draft that could singlehandedly affect the way a team plays. (Some say Rubio too but I'm not convinced). Assuming that every draftee plays up to their best case scenario...

Blake will score, rebound and demand a dblteam, changing the way teams have to defend.

Rubio will defend, pass well and improve a team's offense.

Thabeet will dramatically improve a team defense because the middle is locked down.

I can't think of anyone else that even has the potential to change the game for a franchise....maybe one of the pg's. Tyreke, Flynn or Jennings might have an effect on offense but they're all small and probably not defensive stalwarts. In the right situation, Curry could be a big scorer. In NY, he'd get lots of shots and probably lots of points.

think Evans will be the guy 2-3 years from now who we look back and be like dang, we missed him.

Posted by: Notorious_1 | June 19, 2009 11:56 AM

i totaly agree..evans will be like a dwade type player. who would have thought d wade was going to be a star coming out of marquette...evans is going to be nice, but i like nick young at our 2 gaurd, and having deshawn back him up. with that being said..

If they don't trade the pick, whoever they take will not dramatically improve the team this year. Evans, and his potential 2 or 3 years from now, while the wizards are still contending, will be a vital cog/asset.

i'm going with tyreke. he has the ability to play both guard positions and compete fo a starting spot immediately. they could move gil to the two and trade/ get rid of ds or they could move ds and have open comp b/w nick and reke.either way, if harden isn't a definite upgrade over ny then he'll stick on the bench b/c he can't handle pg responsibilities, we're fairly deep at every other position.

the wiz just need someone to produce in the back court next year. gil will probably be able to get close to all the way back to old gil, but the 2-guard and backup point are big questions.

if Thabeet falls, which he probably won't, and the wizards do not take him they are fools.based on what is there, I would take Curry. it is a weak draft and Curry has been a dragonslayer. ask Georgetown about it. this kid can play and will be fine. I see Curry as initially being a Vinnie(microwave) Johnson, and in the right rotation could easily compete for ROY. the wizards have never had enough firepower.

Go with Evans. Outside of Rubio and Griffin, he's got the most all-star potential. Might as well shoot for the stars when you're up this high in the draft. 6'6 athletic freak PG with handles? Yes please.

"James Harden- No, he ran his numbers up playing in the PAC-10 last season. There is a reason Austin Freeman was rated higher than him coming out of High School."

- Dominic1064

****
This is basketball not football. DId you ever watch an ASU game? Probably not. But you probably are familiar with Herb Sendek's offense (he coached NC State). It is a half-court, deliberate offense that certainly does not promote the inflation of stats. Furthermore, Harden played on a very mediocre team.

I admit that at times Harden was underwhelming and unassertive, but I think he's got a lot of game that would transfer well to the league.

I just don't see Ernie holding on to this pick. If he does, I think he needs to pick Curry (assuming Griffin/Rubio/Thabeet) are gone. One of the Wiz' greatest needs is 3-point shooting, and Curry provides it better than anyone else in this range. And his court vision and passing are said to be very strong as well.

I'm not so worried about defense; Flip is going to install more team-based schemes, which will hopefully cover up many of our "D"ficiencies.

I don't believe that this is the correct list of seven. Rubio is likely on the list, because he could theorhetically fall to the Wizards, and I wonder whether Lawson or Terrence Williams might be on the list.

In terms of who on the above list is NOT on the Wizards' list, my guess would be that Flynn and Jennings are not. Remember that the Wizards hosted a point guard workout with Curry, Flynn, Jennings and Price. I suspect that they wanted to look at all four, but more importantly wanted a chance to see those guys against good competition. Perhaps Jennings and/or Flynn were there only to provide competition and a point of reference for Curry.

I absolutely would avoid ANY deal which asks for Caron Butler. PERIOD.
Now for who we should take? I couldn't understand the interest in PGs - UNTIL someone floated the idea to move Gilbert to SG. In that scenario - any penetrating, wicked-fast, skilled point - might due. Is that Flynn or Curry?

Ideally the Wizards need a point guard that can play with Agent Zero. Is Crittenton the answer? He seems to have the athleticism, but not sure about the mental part of his game. I'd like to see the Wizard trade this pick and maybe move down, and get some salary cap relief. I believe their are probably some very good over looked talent later in first or second round. The Wizards are a good team, when healthy, that need a player or two that can cause match up problems for opponents. The Wizards biggest upgrade this season is coach Flip Saunders and his staff. It's going to be an interesting season.

My vote would be for Evans. I think Steph Curry will make the biggest impact (out of the 7 on the board), but something about Evans just screams superstar. And lets not forget, D-Wade was picked 5th overall as well

This is exactly why we should trade down. By the time we get to the fifth pick, there is no discernable difference until the mid teens. Even then, I would not be surprised if several of the late first and second rounders have markedly better careers and more immediae impact than the early first rounders.

Trade down, pick up a solid player at say 12-17, get a solid vet (prefereably at the 3,4 or 5) that can play some D and spell the all stars and hopefully get an extra 1st rounder in 2011 or 2012.

Anyone who wants to trade Antawn or Caron is stupid. These guys are all stars and most teams would kill for them. OK, their D is a bit weak, but seriously, they are both 20+ pts a game and have range...plus they both are usually money at the stripe which means you can win some close games when it comes down to free throws. Then you take Tawn's 10 rebounds and Caron's 6 assists, 6 rebounds and 2.7 steals. Dude, talk about filling out a stat sheet.

If Agent Zero is healthy and able to perform like his old self, this is a markedly improved team from 2006-07 and shoudl go deep in the playoffs. If he isn't, then we are screwed unless we can trade for a solid PG and monster 5.

My vote would be to trade the No. 5 pick and one of our bad contracts like Etan or James for a veteran bigman who can contribute right away. Otherwise, I think that Harden is the most NBA-ready of the players likely available at No. 5.

Evans is pretty much Crittendon. Harden gives me flashbacks of Jarvis Hayes. Jennings has AI's size but can't score....scary. Hill is Dre Blatche with no offense. DeRozan is Nick Young with no jumper. Take Stephen Curry - need to be able to score in this league.

Can somebody tell Dan Gilbert and Danny Ferry to go away?!?! Don't nobody want that crap they offering. They're pathetic! Its like they keep going to different Lexus dealerships with Honda Civic money and REALLY think they gonna walk away with something!

I'd go with Evans. He probably has the most potential compared to the other guys. I just don't know if he would still be there at 5. Curry will be an impact shooter in the league, I'm just not sold on his size & athletic ability as a starter in the backcourt.

Every single 2009 draftee not named Blake Griffin is a project who is a year or two from producing consistently enough to be a factor. The Courtney Lee's of the world who start for divison champs in their rookie year are few and far between.

So let's begin with that premise. The Wizards have the luxury to develop players without shouldering too much of the load. Given that we already have enough guys that fit that bill. Young, Blatche, McGee and even McGuire (who gave us plenty of heavy minutes last year).

Now that's a pretty decent core of guys who can develop while the big three get long of tooth. Blake Griffin can be integrated into the Wiz 1st team. Anyone else belongs on the 2nd Unit.

Ernie knows this, and that is why his Plan A is to get someone (now only available by trade) to complement the starters. Plan B is to get someone that can be developed for the future. Other GMs know this and are going to call our bluff.

All these trade scenarios where another team gives us their No. 2 guy for the #5 and Etan Thomas and Mike James are laughable. Kevin McHale and the "Will Trade Stars for Trash" sign on his forehead are long gone. If anyone is going to take Thomas and James, it will be at the trade deadline.

In the meantime, EG's greatest leverage comes from the 5 and someone from the 2nd Unit.

Btw, for what it's worth, if Brandon Jennings thinks that the EuroLeague is physical, he isn't ready for Eastern Conference Basketball, much less for a team that has had a 20 year allergy to tough-D.

This looks like a pretty weak draft. In a strong draft class, none of these guys would be top 10 material. The most intriguing player is Evans, a big point guard w/ athleticism. The 1 on the list of 7 that I wouldn't touch is DeRozan: a shooting guard that can't shoot would seem to be a bit of a problem.

The problem w/ taking a short and/or slight guard is that the elite guards in the league are now seriously strong: Paul, Williams, DWade, Billups, Kidd, etc. are built like linebackers, so unless one of these smallish guards has blazing speed/quickness as an offset against his lack of size, he'll be seriously overmatched physically most of the time...

Close call but go w/Evans. His numbers at Memphis showed constant improvement and performed well in the tournement. Harden's numbers were better against inferior competition. Harden did not shine against strong Pac-10 competition. Also, Evans is more vesitle and you cant ignore the 6-11 wing span. Curry reminds me of Jason Terry which is good but in the long run Evans is the man.

The Wizards muust decide if they want to go for a championship now (highly doubt they can accomplish this with Boston and Orlando still strong) or if they gear for winning it in the next 2-3 years. I think the Wizards must break up the 3 All-Stars in order to bring in a big time player, that can get the Wizards over the hump of 1st round playoffs. Caron is a good player, but last here he could have shown more leadership and the ability to take over a game than he did. He really just took a backseat and played as if no one cared because Gil was out. Jamison is the healthiest out of the 3, and is consistent all around the board, but he would be a great piece of bait to trade on.

I think the Wizards either go with Harden or Hill because they bring great upsize and will help on the defensive end. We have the 32nd pick and I think they should try to draft the PG Darren Collison out of UCLA. UCLA guards are more ready for the NBA that other guards from other schools, and Collision is a proven leader on the court with senior experience.

In the end: Draft Jordan Hill is available at No.5 and Darren Collison at No.32

"I can't believe some folks think the Wiz must shed the salaries of some of their best players (AJ/CB) to improve." - photoassign

"Anyone who wants to trade Antawn or Caron is stupid." - Blurred

It's not about shedding the salaries. It's more that I believe that with Arenas, Butler, and Jamison as our core, we're not going to get much better. We'd either need another top-flight player on the floor with them, or trade one of them for a guy who brings a different skillset to create a different chemistry.

I actually think he is the best one of the three to trade. He's as desirable to other teams as Jamison, if not a little more so. From our perspective, I think he's the easiest to replace. McGuire in at the three will bring defensive improvement, and just as good of a finisher on the break. Will rebound just as well, if not better, and is a very good passer. The lack of points we can make up at the 2 spot, and with Arenas.

"Rumormill had caron+pick for Amare." - divi3

That's a trade I would take, but if Phoenix is trying to shed salary, taking on a 2 year contract doesn't make much sense.

Wiz99 suggested trying to trade down and take Danny Green. I really Like that idea. He could be exactly what we need. A great 3pt shooter and excellent man-up defender on the wing. He could easily defend both the 2 and 3 positions. If Atlanta is hoping to shed Josh Smith's salary, move Horford to the 4, and pick up a center, if someone like Thabeet falls to the 5, we could offer them the 5th pick and expiring contracts for Josh Smith and the 19th pick, where we could take Green. I doubt Thabeet falls to 5 though.

Curry is the right pick. This guy is a pure shooter...he can score the ball. We need a 3 point threat that can also play point guard. Yes..he will need to bulk up and defense will be a challenge for him, but every player has growth areas. We don't need any more project big men...we have enough players that shoot 3's but cannot hit them consistently. Curry is a basketball player and he has something to prove...that is a dangerous combination.

The Wiz should select Harden. Although he isn't great at anything he does everything well. He has a good basketball IQ, he can play without the ball and doesn't pound the ball into the floor which messes up your offense. He is a smaller version of paul pierce who is going to be your 4th option.

James Harden is who I hope they get.
He impressed me with his interview. He seems very mature and focused. He has a nice game and "IF" he blooms he could help the Wizzies at the 2.
BUT---I hope they don't opt for an undersized PG or some lightweight, we already have Juan D, a hard worker and streaky shooter but just doesn't fit anywhere.
I don't think it really matters who they get or what they do with the pick. This draft, on paper, is pretty weak but someone might get a gem. Hope it's us.

Reading between the lines on everything I have seen, I believe the Wizards #1 target is Stephen Curry. Flip seems to be enamored with him. Flip is an offensive guy, and would just love to get his hands on this kid who he could do wonders with. He can play him the same way he used Rip Hamilton in Detroit, and his basketball IQ is off the charts. If Curry is gone by #5, then I think Harden is the guy.

"I don't believe that this is the correct list of seven. Rubio is likely on the list, because he could theorhetically fall to the Wizards, and I wonder whether Lawson or Terrence Williams might be on the list.

In terms of who on the above list is NOT on the Wizards' list, my guess would be that Flynn and Jennings are not. Remember that the Wizards hosted a point guard workout with Curry, Flynn, Jennings and Price. I suspect that they wanted to look at all four, but more importantly wanted a chance to see those guys against good competition. Perhaps Jennings and/or Flynn were there only to provide competition and a point of reference for Curry.

Posted by: disgruntledfan | June 19, 2009 12:47 PM

I think Rubio and Thabeet must be on the list since one of them totally could fall. And I don't think there's any way Flynn or Jennings are on the list. I mean, they haven't even brought in Holiday who is bigger and could be better than all of them. I think the PG search is a ruse and/or a product of the fact that half the first round will be PG's. I would guess the Wiz are only considering: Rubio, Thabeeet, Harden, Curry, Evans, Hill, and some wild card. I think people are figuing out that DeRozen is Harold Minor 2.0. No way EG picks him.

It has become fashionable to bag on this draft class as 'inferior', when in fact it is at least average. It is short on obvious talent, but full of intriguing prospects and, I suspect, a few future stars. Who they will be is the big question, but I am pretty certain they will not include Hill, who projects to be a solid pro. Jennings has great skills, but his slight frame and big ego could cause headaches. Flynn will be competitive, but no star, as will Lawson. Harden could be VERY GOOD, but I think that only Evans and Derozan have elite, all-star potential athleticism. Curry does not, but he may be the most skilled player to come along in several years. He sees plays develop a split second faster than others, never wastes movement, has the prettiest shot since Reddick but a quicker release with far more canny fakes and misdirections. No one ever out-thinks him, while entire college teams can not stop him. My biggest fear is that more athletic NBA players will hound him, but at the same time, I can not imagine any NBA player, however good, could be any harder than the college double and triple teams he faced, not to mention whole defensive schemes based on stopping him. In the NBA he will have only one man to beat, and could find scoring even easier. He will spread Ds, opening driving lanes for Gil and Caron, open the Big Three up for jump shots and clear the middle should we ever get a proper down low offensive threat.. On D, he will be backed down, but will also lead the team in steals. He is an intriguing choice and hard to figure, as I've never seen a player with comparable skills.

I love Curry, but i just don't see him being able to start a PG or SG in this league because he can't defend either position. He is going to be a great 6th man for a real good team, but with the 5th pick do you grab a guy like that? I am betting Ernie does since he is NBA-Ready and he feels like this is a top team when healthy. Curry would add some serious scoring punch to the second unit and no way Ernie wants another project on this team. Curry is the pick.

"I think Rubio and Thabeet must be on the list since one of them totally could fall. "

The only way Rubio falls is if it looks like he won't be able to get free from his Euro contract in order to come to the NBA next season. In which case he's going to fall right off the Wizards radar too (assuming he's on it to begin with)

be wary of underestimating curry. he is as talented a scorer as any other player available in the draft. His size could be a concern, but i don't think he's shorter than ben gordon, who gets his shot off well in the nba. That being said, i choose evans because of his known skills (handle,passing,slashing to the basket) and his upside. If gil ain't right or can't play that leaves us with crit as the starter and the abomidable Mike James as the backup. I'd rather have a natural point (Evans0 than a project pg (Curry)

If that's the case, here's a theory (and that's all it is, folks, a theory): What if you combine the two most prominent Suns trade rumors into a mega three-way deal?

It would look like this:

The Suns send Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland and Amare Stoudemire to Washington.
FROM ESPN
The Cavs send Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic to Phoenix and Zydrunas Ilgauskas to Washington.

The Wizards send the No. 5 pick, Etan Thomas, Mike James and JaVale McGee to Phoenix and Antawn Jamison to Cleveland.

Call me crazy, but isn't this the ideal deal for all three teams?

The Suns would lose a lot of talent in the deal and basically would be blowing up the team. However, if they think they'll lose Stoudemire next summer anyway and don't believe they have a real shot at winning a title next season, why not get something for Stoudemire now and jump-start the rebuilding process?

In this deal, the Suns would pick up the No. 5 pick and McGee, a talented 7-footer who would be a good fit in Phoenix. More importantly for them, they would save a ton of cash next season. Pavlovic's salary is only partially guaranteed. Wallace likely could be bought out for less than he's owed. And the Suns would take back less money in the deal to begin with. When you factor in the reduction in luxury taxes and consider that they might save enough to eke below the dreaded luxury-tax line ... could owner Robert Sarver really pass on saving potentially $12-14 million in salary and penalties next season?

The Wizards essentially would replace Jamison, a couple of role players (Thomas and James) and two prospects (McGee and the No. 5 pick) with Stoudemire and Ilgauskas. Yes, Jamison is very important to the Wizards, but he'd be replaced by Stoudemire. And Ilgauskas would give them a legit big man in the middle. Suddenly, they would look like contenders for the Eastern Conference crown. And if things don't work out, they'll have cap room in 2010 when Ilgauskas, Stoudemire and Brendan Haywood all come off the books.

And the Cavs? They would get Shaq, whom they apparently like. And Jamison, an athletic scoring 4 who can do what the Cavs' bigs couldn't during the playoffs -- guard someone on the wing.

Harden is probably the most NBA-ready player. Immediately, he probably would be the best sg on the team. And say probably only because of Stevenson's experience. I know everybody likes Nick Young, but his basketball IQ on both ends of the court is far ahead of NY right now. And he's only 19.

That said, please let this Stoudemire trade go down! If not, I think Harden's the guy.

I'm not gonna say that any of the guys in the draft are better than guys we have right now, with the exception of Blake. If we're gonna draft a backup, why draft a one dimensional player at a position we are "deep" at when he's not even head and shoulders above guys in the draft at his same position.

There are 2 guards that have comparable skills to harden in the draft. We might even have one on the team. If you pass on evans i don't see another pg with his upside.

No more big men projects please...so I say no to Hill. I'd go for Harden or Evans, because of their size and athleticism. With a healthy season, this team is already a playoff team. Adding some young talent is not a bad thing.

Yeah, he had a couple of bad games. If you're willing to judge him on 2 games, then you have a point. But watching 2 or 3 games throughout the year, he was very good. Don't know about you, but I'm tired of seeing Young & Blatche running around like they don't have a clue! Just don't know if they'll ever get it.

I tend to agree with kal about Curry. I don't think he's a definite career backup, but i think he's a borderline starter in this league. He did score a lot in college, but not by beating people off the dribble. Just by having an amazing outside shot. Reddick had a great outside shot. It hasn't really helped him in the league. Getting off that shot in the league isn't as easy if you're not a threat to do anything but take the shot.

Ben Gordon does get his shot off, but he is a completely different type of player. Besides being extremely quick with the ball, he is also a high and quick leaper. He takes full on jump shots, not standing shots. And he rises on his. Curry is not the leaper (in either height or quickness) that Gordon is.

The only possibility, is that Curry is much better than he showed in college. By that I mean he is much more than a jump shot. It's possible. I'm just going with what I've seen from him in games.

Curry. If Gil is anything close to what he was before, anybody who can shoot a decent three ball should rack up 15 points a game from behind the arc. Case in point, Mr. 50. I think Curry would be an upgrade to DeShawn because he can get his own shot. His size might be an issue in the paint, but on the perimiter I think he'll be fine. I think Curry, playing at the 2, would complement Gil terrifically.

Only good thing about these dang trade rumors is that we get to come up with wacky scenarios of our own. Here's mine (involving the Warriors):
*Biedrins ($9M each over the next 5 yrs) &
*Brendan Wright (about $3.5 over the next 3 yrs, with club options after '09-10 and '10-11)
FOR
*E Thomas (& his funky $7.5M contract in the last yr) &
*Blatche ($3.2 over the next 3 yrs)
*5th overall pick

I have NO idea if the Warriors would consider trading those guys, but hey, "the salaries work. Perhaps the Warriors are looking to shed some salary and want the #5 & #7 picks to rebuild... or to try to jump up to #2... who knows??

They take Curry and move Gilbert and whomever else to get a power forward. Personally, I really, really like the guy from Michigan State. Closest player he reminds me of, and this is not to say he is in the same universe as the guy, just that he sees and executes in a way that reminds me of, is Larry Bird. Yeap, a slower, more man-up defensive minded, less agile, Larry Bird.

You put Curry with one of the Zards big littles, and you add a guy who can play all parts of the offensive game as a true power forward, and you get rid of Gilbert who will make any big man worse, much, much worse, just ask Heywood, and this team is ready.

Hollinger has an interesting projected stat thing he does with college players.

I pay less attention to his stats and regression analysis projections when I've actually seen a guy play, and his PER stat overstates the value of "active" big guys like Speights and McGee. But in the case of the draft where most of us haven't see a guy play or we really can't compare what we see in the NCAA to NBA, his draft rater seems like an OK tool. He previously nailed Jarvis Hayes as a bust and Nick Young fared poorly in the predictor because he had such a bad assit/turnover ratio at USC...and so far with the Wiz. Critt was predicted to have a PER of 13 in his 3rd year - looks close to me.

This year Hollinger's rater ranks Ty Lawson right up there with Griffen. Evans is 3rd, Curry is 5th, and Harden is 10th. It looks like his rater is a bit biased towards players from winning programs.

Jordan Hill is ranked as a projected bust at 26th. The reason for Hill's poor score is: "Hill had solid rebounding and scoring numbers, but his percentages weren't off the charts, and his poor assist and turnover numbers were a red flag. Although one might think that ballhandling categories wouldn't matter for a power forward, apparently they do -- pure point rating (a measure of how a player passes and handles the ball) is a pretty strong success indicator for frontcourt players, and only four prospects rated worse than Hill."

Many GM's use some kind of geekstats to evaluate college talent. So if EG has a future trade in his head with this pick, he's better off picking a player who won't be shunned by the dozen or so statgeek GMs. Considering that there's a good chance that our #5 will be delt before he sees much NBA action, his trade value will be tied to the current draft analysis. So we'd be better off picking Curry, Evans or Hardin and NOT Hill simply because Hill will need to play enough to change the perception from moneyball-type GMs before they covet him.

Ilgauskas would give them a legit big man in the middle. Suddenly, they would look like contenders for the Eastern Conference crown. And if things don't work out, they'll have cap room in 2010 when Ilgauskas, Stoudemire and Brendan Haywood all come off the books.

And the Cavs? They would get Shaq, whom they apparently like. And Jamison, an athletic scoring 4 who can do what the Cavs' bigs couldn't during the playoffs -- guard someone on the wing.

Posted by: h20law2000
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This deal is good for the Cavs, not the Wizards. Ilgauskas is over the hill, just look at how he played in the playoff against Orlando. So who is going to play center for the Wizards following next season? Resinging Haywood is the only way to go, and without backup. McGee is gone and #5 pick is gone. The draft pick Wiz gets next season is unlikely to be higher than #5!

Besides, Washington is the last place LeBrone would want to play, so what's the cap space for?

It's not about shedding the salaries. It's more that I believe that with Arenas, Butler, and Jamison as our core, we're not going to get much better. We'd either need another top-flight player on the floor with them, or trade one of them for a guy who brings a different skillset to create a different chemistry.

- Segastyle

Assuming a healthy and on fire Arenas, the Skills we need are not at PG or either forward spot. They are at center and the 2.

Why give up any of your allstars to get someone that another team wants to get rid of?

I think Amare will retire before Antawn or Butler do and his key stats (ppg and rpg) are lower already. If the Suns want to ditch Amare, its because they either know he will never be healthy again or because they know he is going away next year (and would leave DC too.

Washingtons best hope is for a good trade down to get a solid player this year, another pick in a couple of years and a vet to fill the 2 or the 5 and hope that either SeShawn comes back to a 40% 3pt player again, NY really gets it together or McGee is ready to take over at center from Brenda.

Evans, Evans, Evans, PLEASE ! Ernie don't have us look back a couple years from now and say we missed out ala Karl Malone. Look at the players that dominate 90% of the NBA games(Kobe, DWade, Paul P.,Roy,VinSanity, A. Iguodala,), by the way who would have chose Westbrook in the 1st round last year? Oh yeah or Cortney Lee and the list goes on. We have a very good nuecleus, we need good perimeter players that can get to the rim and or dish. One more thing Wade or LeBron just to name a couple had to develop 3pt shooting ( one summer). Evans is the pick hands down!

Our problem over the past few years has been injuries. Our bench has been playing first string due to the injuries. If GA is limited or gets hurt, we only have one back up if we trade James. Caron has been hurt alot over the past couple years. He is turnover prone. He's the player to trade with a contract coming up shortly. I would try to sign McDyess and trade the pick.

I like the idea of the Wiz trading down and picking-up an experienced player who could make the transition to the NBA more quickly than six of the seven players listed (excluding Harden).

Personally, I see Earl Clark as a nice mix of NBA-ready and upside potential. I saw him play a lot in college and he is sleeper in this draft. There are some other options out there who would also be ready to contribute soon.

I said it long ago and i'm sticking with it. Curry is the best pick for the Wizards. His game is far more polished than JJ Reddick, given is NBA pedigre. You can't tell me a player that carried a team on his back for three years moving from shooting guard to point guard and raising his level of play is " too small, too weak, and too slow" to play the point guard position at the NBA level. I don't care who you are as a player averaging 28 points per game is no small feet. The Wizards need an outside shooter, DeShawn aint it.

Go with Evans and move Gilbert to shooting guard. When Calipari put Evans ino the point, Memphis went from an excelent tem to a monster. The kid obviously has the talent for point. With the 2nd pick in Round 2 Earnie should have opportunity to grab a second decent player.

How about trading down to get Raja Bell, Arron Afflalo, or Corey Brewer to start alongside Gil? They're all excellent defensive players who can knock down threes. Not sure how available any of those three is, but Bell is an older player on a young team, Detroit seems to be clearing its roster for 2010, and Brewer is coming off of ACL surgery. With the 12th, 15th, or 18th pick, I'd take one of the two kids from Louisville.

Harden would be my first choice, as he fits in nicely with the Wiz players and Flip's expected playing style, but I doubt he will still be there at 5. With Harden gone, Ernie would probably not be able to pass up Hill as there are not many 6'10" athletes of his ilk and potential--also makes it easier to trade AB. If Hill is also gone at 5, then Ernie would probably opt for Evans, not able to pass on his potential as a future Wiz pg or trade bait. If all 3 of these are gone than that means Thabeet is still on the board and Ernie grabs him. So while I like the idea of Curry on the Wiz, I dont think there is any way it happens, unless they trade down a few slots...

Curry has the eye of the tiger. I don't know what folks are talking about regarding him being slight. He looks like he's in tremendous shape and would be an incredible asset to the Wizards. Get with it.

Wiz last year -One of the worst 3 point shooting teams in the league last year (if not the worst)=Curry.
Curry can provide punch coming off the bench. Name one player a team is scared to leave open from 3 on the Wiz. That's impossible for an NBA team in this day and age to not have one single count it 3point shooter. Most of the good teams have 2-3 of those type of players. Look what Orlando did with players that could spread the floor.

Steph Curry should be the pick if we keep it--the kid's shot is butter, and he's gonna be a hard worker (unlike Young and Blache). In fact, I see a little bit of Ray Allen in him, though he is undoubtedly smaller, so maybe Ben Gordon is a better comp.

The other guys just don't fit. Jennings is too raw with too much attitude. Flynn is too small and seems destined to be a very good backup at best. DeRozan is too raw. Hill is too raw and we have enough projects with our bigs. Evans could be great, but also dominates the ball and that doesn't seem to fit with Gilbert. And Harden will be too short, fat, and unathletic to play in the league as anything other than an 8th man. Curry could be special.

That being said, I'd trade the pick and anyone other than Tuff Juice in a heartbeat.

I'm new to the blog and I'm not NBA technologically astute, but I do have some thoughts to share. I was living in Orlando when we traded for Grant Hill following his ankle injury assuming his surgery resolved the problem. I believe it wasn't until his 3rd or 4th year that he was able to play. With the hx of injuries on the Wiz I believe that to trade for anyone who currently has any physical injury is taking a VERY BIG RISK and I wouldn't consider giving such a person my money to invest! Gnobli and Stoudamire (sp?) come to mind. In my humble opinion I believe the core three and Haywood should be untouchables. Blatch and Young are "all about themselves". Watch videos of them at the end of the season and Andre's comment about needing to work hard over the summer didn't convince me that he was very serious. Nick when he was asked about his summer plans he made some comment about he wanted the ball more often. Didn't comment about what he needed to do to make that happen. Another team with a need for their positions and the kind of coach capable of helping them reach their potential, but they've been given enough time to make the attitude required for the Wiz to improve their chances to get to the playoffs. McGuire and McGee have demonstrated they have skills, work hard, are willing to learn and have tremendous potential. They know they have to earn their time on the floor and have shown a willingness to do what needs to be done. Darius Songaila is a guy that will come in and do what needs to be done and where his physical skills may be limited, his basketball knowledge is beyond reproach in my opinion. Although Stevenson hadn't missed a game until the injury last year I feel queezy about counting on him if we want the big Kahuna. I believe we should get a solid point guard in case Gil continues to have problems (ie Grant Hill). Someone willing to give him some rest who is capable of running the team if need be. Don't know enough about others on the Wiz bench to say we have one, but there are a lot of point guards in the draft. Maybe take one for another team who is willing to trade a veteran who would fit the bill. I also think we need a veteran or NBA ready youngster to spell Antwan. Nice thing about Darius is he can help in a number of positions off the bench. Someone mentioned a while back that he liked Eric Maynor (VCU) and I looked up info on him and my gut says he's worth consideration. He may only be 6'3, but Jameer Nelson is 6' and was chosen for the NBA All Star Game (altho injured). And I recall just reading an article that described how Sam Cassell (6'3") outwitted Jordan Hill during his workout for the Wiz. Just my thoughts.

I agree with EG, get rid of this pick if you can get a good vet in return.

Having said that, the next best thing to an experienced player is Curry. I am tired of watching knuckleheads play basketball for the Wizards. If they can't be great, at least have a team that plays smart.

Please, no more Kwame Browns or Andray Blatche projects. As Gilbert said, if you are surrounded by projects, then you are in the 'hood...and that's not good.

I keep flipflopping... first I liked Hill. The more I see of him though the more I don't think he's the choice. Too stiff, too robotic in his movements. No smoothness to his game, no insticts.

Then I really wanted Harden. I do still like him. He's got a sweet stroke and solid all around game. I see him becoming a very good and steady pro, a Redd, Finley or Mitch Richmond. Nothing wrong with that.

But at this point, I am likeing Evans more and more. Immediately he can come in and add a dimension that we lack with his speed, athleticism, and playmaking. We have alot of jumpshooters (Jamison, Butler, Arenas, Young) and having a guy who can penetrate and dish with the explosiveness of Evans would be a nice addition.

His ability to run point and allow Gil to play off the ball and maximize his dominating scoring ability. His size/length and ability to defend the 2 vs most opposing teams top scoring threat. He immediately gives us what we got from Hughes combined with what we get from Stevenson and Crittenton combined. I think he immediately steps to the starting 2, allowing us to bring in Nick Young as designated offense off the bench.

Potentially he probably has the most upside in this draft of anyone including Griffin. In contrast to Harden's potential I can see Evans becoming more of a Penny Hardaway or TMac.

I like Hill and Evans. I might even be happy with Harden, although I've got reservations about his athleticism and quickness. But the bottom line is this: when Arenas is back, his teammates are going to get open looks. (Sound familiar? It should - it's the only reason that Deshawn Stevenson has a contract.) The critical question for this draft is, who in the batch of likely draftees that Mike mentioned is most likely to hit an open shot?

The answer is Stephen Curry. Increasingly, I'm sold on this kid. He doesn't have a great build for the NBA, but he can develop that. Curry will knock down open jumpers, including three-pointers, that much is guaranteed. Plus, he's got a great demeanor and great basketball i.q.

Will he play lock-down defense? Maybe not - but again, show me the guard in this draft who's guaranteed to do that. I don't see any guards who are particularly good at defense in that list.

I like all the Curry support. I got a feeling that he could be a special player. Sometimes you see a player play in college or wherever and you know he will succeed at the highest level. He won't generate all the attention like in college with Butler, Jamison, Arenas on the floor so it could be a lot of open looks. Bombs away!!! Plus his dad was a career 40% 3-point shooter. I'll take that anytime.

I just read Darnell1's comment. I went to Hoopshype and read the assessment of T.Evans. The last sentence read: "Has huge potential,but appears a little bit selfish at times." NOoooooo Not another NY who still is an on-going project (who may never reach his potential). Harden is discribed as someone that shares the ball and Curry was tauted for his assist numbers.......Noooooo TE, we already have a TE and his name is Nick Young. I was in Orlando when Hardaway and TMac played for the Magic. Hardaway was always complaining about something, felt he wasn't used enuf, was injured a lot (real or imagined?) and I just remember him as a "cry baby". TMac was great. He often ended up carrying the whole team. He began to have a lot of back problems which could have caused by the pressure placed on him.

Lemme just correct a common misconception about Tyreke Evans. The kid is a very good shooter until he gets out around the 3 point line, when he falls way off. If you look at his 2 point numbers, he's close to Curry. Don't know why this is, but it should be correctable.

Tyreke is the right pick IMO... I think he has the most ceiling of these guys and can come in and contribute right away. He needs to work on his jumper but most guards do coming into the league but that kid can play. He's not a PG but none of the guys looked at that high impress me enough. Plus his style and scoring abilities give you insurance if Gimpy Knee Gil can't go at the beginning of the season.

If they stay at 5, I'd go Evans, if I wanted a PG I'd trade down, move a bad contract or get an extra pick, and try to get a Eric Maynor - DeJuan Blair combo. Those are the two workman like guys I'm fond of in this draft. Blair would get the toughness and bulk down low they need.

Curry. I think he will be a small man's Reggie Miller. Who would have thunk Reggie would be the player he turned out to be in the league. Reggie could shoot and was wiley and crafty. Came from good bloodlines. Likewise, Curry. The dude can flat out play. Plus, Flip could use him like he used Rip.

With our big three he will get a ton of easy looks. Remember how effective Mason was for us a couple years ago. We missed three point shooting last year.

I think Evans will require having the ball a lot to be effective and that will be Gil's job. Plus, Evans does not have the stroke Steph has. To me Curry skill sets compliment Gil better.

Curry will open the floor because you will have to always account for him.

I think there are 2 guys who could be stars from the group and one other who could be special in like 3-4 years.

Hill- I think he's a slightly smaller version of Lamarcus Aldridgde nice touch back to the backset game alittle too perimeter but will be very good as he gains strength very well worth the pick.

Harden-left handed brandon Roy/Ginobilli very crafty good athleticism, knows how to play will be someone who you can count on to score and be versatile. Much better shot to become a borderline star at the 2 spot and a good enough IQ to cover for Arenas's blunders at 2. mature player with surprising hops. Much more reliable talent mentally than Nick Young is now or will ever be.

Derozen- gonna be Thadeus Young good in time or even better major athleticism,but very raw in his understanding of the game and how to imply his talents alittle Nick Youngish mentally.

Curry- won't be that big a deal in the league past year one body is too weak will wear down over the course of a long NBA season, will get murdered running through picks.

Jennings- almost exactly like a young kenny Anderson without the developed hoops IQ fast left handed to spontaneous things about entertaining the crowd than running the team Wizards isn;t a good environment for a kid like him.

Evans- could be good and a versatile guard or could be a major headcase who forces things and creates alot of to's. I don;t have a feel for which way he could head at this point.

Flynn- will be good and good right away how good I have no idea don't know that he has a ton of upside but I think he could start for a team right away and get you 14 pts and 6-7 assists and push the ball and play at tempo.

jrwalkerivory stated: Hill- I think he's a slightly smaller version of Lamarcus Aldridgde nice touch back to the backset game alittle too perimeter but will be very good as he gains strength very well worth the pick.

Yeah, in defense of Jordan Hill: the guy has a nice complement of post moves. How many times in the finals did I find myself screaming at the television, "Spin right, Dwight! Spin right!" Jordan Hill can spin right. Dwight Howard, evidently, cannot.

Harden-left handed brandon Roy/Ginobilli very crafty good athleticism, knows how to play will be someone who you can count on to score and be versatile. Much better shot to become a borderline star at the 2 spot and a good enough IQ to cover for Arenas's blunders at 2. mature player with surprising hops. Much more reliable talent mentally than Nick Young is now or will ever be.

I have some disagreements here.. I'll never understand the Ginobli comparison, Manu is an altogether different beast. Harden's mature, sure, but something about his game and his attitude make me question his work ethic. I think Harden could be a big-time flop. I hope he goes in the top 4.

Derozen- gonna be Thadeus Young good in time or even better major athleticism,but very raw in his understanding of the game and how to imply his talents alittle Nick Youngish mentally.

The only valuable bit of information I took from the Hollinger assessment (which is way off on Lawson, and others, btw) is that Derozen couldn't even hit his free throws. So, he's someone who can't hit uncontested midrange shots. All the upside in the world won't make up for that. You don't get much playing time when you 're bricking open shots.

Curry- won't be that big a deal in the league past year one body is too weak will wear down over the course of a long NBA season, will get murdered running through picks.

The same description could have been applied to Tayshaun Prince when he came out of Kentucky. But he killed people with his shot then, and he's still doing it. Ernie, follow your instinct.. don't let this young man slip.

Jennings- almost exactly like a young kenny Anderson without the developed hoops IQ

C'mon, you're only saying that because of the flat-top in that McDonalds game, aren't you? Jennings talks too much, but I think he's one of the more underrated players in the top 10-12. He's good. He may get better. I see him at #8 with the Knicks.

Evans- could be good and a versatile guard or could be a major headcase who forces things and creates alot of to's. I don;t have a feel for which way he could head at this point.

Ditto. I don't know what to make of Evans, yet. He's talented and has a huge upside, but he's a one-on-one player, and I kinda doubt he'd see a lot of playing time. But I could be completely wrong about that.

tyreke evans is the best player of those named. not even close. and he has an nba body. curry doesn't and doesn't have the potential to grow one. somebody mentioned danny green: not bad. carolina's best shooter is also coming out, but is not as well-rounded as green. somebody mentioned trading caron AND the pick for stoudemire. if we can get him, he'll fill a need IF he stays healthy, which is why you don't give up the pick AND one of you three best players. not smart, especially since he is not is not inclined to defend and has had major injuries the last two years. rubio is a NO: i don't remember the product, but all of you have seen that commercial with the agent trying to shop his guy? to the nba, european leage, italian league, chinese or japanese league. right? well, that guy's name is ricky rubio. i don't think the team is that gullible. and how did darren collison's name come up? the comparisons of curry to reggie miller, rip hamilton and tayshaun prince hold NO water, think abt it again: reggie was 6-7 and had a tough defensive team around him. rip is nowehre near as skinny as this kid, and is taller and stronger. tayshaun may hit some shots but has NEVER been known as a shooter. he has long arms (like tyreke evans does) and is detroit's stopper against the opponen't best scorer. correct?

"Assuming a healthy and on fire Arenas, the Skills we need are not at PG or either forward spot. They are at center and the 2." - Blurred

I agree that 2 and 5 are the weakest points. My point was that you could lose a strength at one spot to gain a strength in another, and at the same time, have someone fill the new void that is better for the team than whoever they had for the old void. Meaning, a 2 guard that comes close to Butler's offensive outlet, but adds better defense, in exchange for Butler might help the team overall, because we could also put McGuire on the floor, to bring 3 defensively minded players in the starting unit.

"Why give up any of your allstars to get someone that another team wants to get rid of?"

For starters, they're all former all-stars. Secondly because our 'allstars' aren't getting better, and have shown that in this current makeup, they can't win it all.

"I think Amare will retire before Antawn or Butler do and his key stats (ppg and rpg) are lower already."

He's a few years younger than Butler, who is in turn a few years younger than Jamison. Stoudemire has seemed to fully recover from his major injury a few years back. Why would he retire before them? And you should actually check his stats before making such statements. This past year he outscored and out-rebounded Butler. He pretty much matched Jamison, but he was also laying alongside Shaq. He did all this playing less minutes and taking less shots than either of the other two. In fact over his past three season (since his injury), he's matched Jamison in rebound average, and outscored him by about 4 points a game. He's also had better numbers than Butler.

"If the Suns want to ditch Amare, its because they either know he will never be healthy again or because they know he is going away next year (and would leave DC too."

Or they've realized what the Wizards need to realize: that they are not winning with their current makeup so they need to switch it up.

6-5 SG with 6-11 wingspan, as a freshman at Memphis ran the point, scored 17 pts a game, shot 45% from the field, averages of 5 1/2 rebounds, 4 assts, 2 steals, and a block.

He had TOs, but he was playing out of position and a freshman. The dude's got talent, has the right attitude saying he wouldn't mind coming off the bench and learning and enjoys playing D. He is ideal as a playmaking SG paired with Gil, penetrating and dishing to an open Caron, Antawn and Gil. The kid just has too much upside to pass up at 5, he was the best freshman in the country.

With Evans we return to the team we had with Hughes when we could outrun any team in the league. We can't bang with the likes of Cleveland, Boston and Orlando, so our best bet is to outrun them and outquick them. With Arenas, Crittenton, Evans, Young in the backcourt, Caron, Antawn, McGuire, Blatche at forwards, and Haywood and McGee at center we will have a strong mix of size, speed, and athleticism. That is the style best suited for our team, run and gun, getting steals on D with length and turning them into points, and Evans fits that mold.

Arenas and Evans starting backcourt. Critt and NY off the bench. Caron backed by McGuire at SF, Antawn backed by Blatche, Haywood backed by McGee. That is a group that can run, score and defend.

That's the 10 man rotation we should go with. Etan, Songaila and Stevenson are solid vets to have at the end of the bench, and bring in when we need a slower halfcourt game.

"How about trading down to get Raja Bell, Arron Afflalo, or Corey Brewer to start alongside Gil?" - yop32

I love the idea of trading for Bell. Supposedly, Larry Brown also wants rid of Wallace We could offer the 5th pick, Butler, an expiring contract and/or a young player in exchange for Bell, Wallace, and their 12th pick. That would give us better defenders at both wings, and at the 12th pick we could take a great defender with solid offensive skills in a guy like Henderson, then do something similar with our second pick in Danny Green, a great outside shooter and defender.

Henderson and Young could battle for the future starting spot after Bell leaves. The loser would be an extremely competitive backup SG. Same goes with McGuire and Green.

I think all the speculation of who we draft is moot because we will trade. We have to move Mike James, and hopefully Etan also.

I am feeling the Vince Carter deal...

NJ is going to youth movement, already dealing away Jefferson and Kidd. They want to trade Carter and his 4yr contract, and their are fresh rumors of sending him to the Cavs.

Carter is best friends and brother in law of Antawn Jamison. He is only 32, the same age as Manu, and the same age as Ray Allen when Boston traded for him, and has 4 strong yrs left IMO. Take a look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2PUXGwNvGM

A deal of Etan and James (expiring contracts) with Nick Young (talented SG to fit in their youth movement) and the #5 should be able to get Vince Carter, and works salary wise.

Vince Carter has been forgotten in NJ. He is a flat out superstar elite player. You put him in our starting lineup with Arenas, Butler, Jamison and Haywood.

Look, our time is now. Our opportunity with our big three is to make a move now. We need a vet, we don't have 3yrs for someone to develope. VC fits that need, he is younger than Jamison, he fits in with what we got. He played in college with Antawn, and I think Haywood too. We got about a 2-3 yr window with this team and VC is ready to win. This is the move for us to make. This is it, I feel it. You put VC with our big 3 and we can compete with anyone including LA. We are instant Eastern Conference contenders.

Vince Carter, Josh Howard, Mike Miller et. al. are known and proven quantities. Carter in particular would make the team wildly relevant, and help pack the house for every game, thus off-setting whatever luxury tax the team would face.

Whoever re-raised Gilbert's wonderful quote about "projects in the 'hood" has caught the drift here, I think.

If the pick stays and the idea is to go with a player who can add value now, it almost has to be Curry. If it's back to the boyz in the 'hood, Evans and to a lesser extent Jennings would be the ones to pick. Jennings may be the most high risk, high gain player in the draft, the kid has some game and some attitude, its fun to watch and listen to him.

There are no D Wades in this draft. Besides Colby, Wade is the best player in the NBA. I know LeBron gets the hype but Wade has the ring, should have been rookie of the year and should have been MVP on the Olympics team. Anyway out of the players mentioned Curry is the best fit. He knows the game and can backup Young. Critt will backup Gil. I can see Curry spotting up in the corners or coming off a pick and dropping 3's. He can get his own shot.

"I can't believe some folks think the Wiz must shed the salaries of some of their best players (AJ/CB) to improve."

There's a contingent that believes that the best way to improve a poor team is to dump current players and start over. Most NBA GMs (and NFL, and MLB, and NHL) aren't in this contingent, however. When you see them dump players, it's usually because they don't have much choice. They're taking the big hit because they can't find a way to avoid it.

The worst thing an FO can do is start thinking that things can't get worse. They can. And losing your head in a wanton desire for change is a sure path.

"Rubio will be a GIGANTIC bust. Slow and thin, he wont be able to defend at all. Plus he cant shoot, and he turns the ball over a lot.He is all hype, thank god there is no chance we draft him."

Not to be argumentative, but even if Rubio doesn't become a star in the NBA, your statements are inaccurate. He's not slow, he's the best defender of the PGs in this class, he protects the ball quite well. He's played at a much higher level with much better results than any guard in this draft. When Harden was stumbling through two games in the NCAA tournament, Rubio was leading a mediocre team to a real challenge for a title. Jonny Flynn is getting hyped on the basis of a superb performance in one really long game; Ricky Rubio, age 17, led his team to an Olympic silver medal. Brandon Jennings played at the equivalent of triple A ball in Europe; Ricky was at the very top.

He's actually younger than his competitors in this draft.

If Rubio doesn't flower in the NBA, it's because he doesn't fit the League's particular brand of self-centered, matchup basketball. Not because he's not a great player.

We should swap picks with Detroit (#15) to trade for Arron Afflalo. He's an excellent defender who can hit the three and will complement our starters. Afflalo is fundamentally sound, and he's Nick Young's longtime rival. Same age, both from LA, one went to UCLA, the other to USC. They could really, really motivate each other.

With these 7 prospects or any prospect, you have to ask yourself, how will they enhance my Team? There individual talents must be considered but the final decision must be based on what enhances your Team.

In other words, the best player on the board, may not be the best player for you.

And for those of you that did not know it, you must pick what is best for your Team, unless there is a can't miss blue chipper which this draft does not have at the 5 slot.

Of the seven, Harden, Evans, Curry, Hill, Derozan, Flynn, & Jennings, Jordan Hill is the only one that may come close to enhancing the Team.

However, his upside has to be realized sooner rather than later and he must be an immediate impact player at PF to justify the pick. Still, a gamble at best.

That being said I donot like any of the Seven.

The only player that the Wizards have a chance to get that will immediately enhance the Team is Hasheem Thabeet. I would do whatever is necessary to acquire him without destroying my base.

Thabeets aquisition would upgrade the defensive dynamics of not just the Center position but the entire Team.

Thabeet backs up Haywood and his skills are sufficient enough to have him doing that sooner rather later. JaVale McGee and Blatche dominate at the PF position. Jamison moves to SF and CB to the 2. NY backs up CB and Crit backs up Gilbert.

The problems that CB had this past year at the 2 will not materialize with Gilbert on the floor.

Having a legitimate Center at all times on the floor together with Blatche/McGee at the PF will make this Wizard Team Powerful like we ain't seen in Decades.

Forget about those 7 roles players that do not really feel a need for us and go after Hasheem Thabeet.

I'd be very uncomfortable if we take Evans. He was described in Hoopshype: "Has huge potential,but appears a little bit selfish at times."Evans may be an excellent player with great potential; sounds like we could end up with another young player with potential (NY). Young is "all about himself". Watch the Nick Young video at seasons end. Nick was asked about his summer plans and he said he wanted the ball more often, but didn't say what he needed to do to make that happen. Then look at Carons' video.

I think a player who shares the ball and high assist numbers and a good passer is needed for an offensive team who wants to run the floor. Curry and Harden would fit the bill. Teams that are winners have higher assist numbers.

Eric Maynor (VCU) could be a diamond in the rough. My gut says he's worth consideration. He may only be 6'3, but Jameer Nelson is 6' and was chosen for the NBA All Star Game.

Sam Cassell (6'3") outwitted Jordan Hill during his workout. So height can be trumped with skills and basketball IQ. Having Cassell as a coach is a positive should Maynor be available.

I agree with Larry. We need someone that fits the needs of the team. I think the best player on the board may not be the best choice. I would hope that Flip has a plan and I believe he will want a player that will fit the plan.

Thabeet's strengths are exactly what this team needs. A one two punch of Haywood and Thabeet at center would give the Wiz exactly what they need in the lane.
If Thabeet drops past Memphis, I think a OK City/Wizards deal would be very possible.

At first blush I was totally against the idea giving up McGee to move up and get Thabeet. I'd still think the Wiz would be very relunctant to part with McGee.

But if the Wiz ask to swap our second round for the #25 pick in the first round it could really work out for both teams. At the 5th pick OK City could get a guard to strengthen their backcourt. In the second round their will be some very good backup points available.

The Wiz could take Thabeet at the 3 and then quite possible get NC's Ellington at the 25th pick. An inside presence and a reliable, heady two that can knockdown the three.

Engineer another deal, or send along Etan, cash, and a future draft pick(Ok City loves to pile those up) and the Wiz can clear a needed roster slot in the same deal.

I'd hate to give up McGee, but if Ernie could enginner getting a pick to get Ellinton. I think it could be worth it.
GM

I wonder how many man-hours have been wasted by not only Michael Lee but his readers as well on pondering who the Wizards will draft even though it's never been so obvious that the draft pick will not be kept by this organization. The number has got to be astronomical.

I wonder how serious PHX is about cutting salary. The word seems to be they like Butler but not Jamison, so how about Butler, Thomas, James, and the #5 for Amare and JRich. Saves them a ton of cash (7,000,000 plus huge luxury tax savings, not to even mention long term savings....), and I believe just barely fits under the matching salaries rule (espn trade machine is down right now dammit! had to use a calculator). Seems to make sense for us (though you'd have to have serious worry about Jamison getting smoked by SFs for 20 minutes a game or so). The issue is they'd be getting severely robbed. It does save Sarver's cheap ass a hell of a lot of money though, plus they get a top five pick and a nice player in Caron. Would they also want a prospect like Young, Blatche, or McGee? Which if any would we be willing to give up? Maybe a future first rounder?

I'd be happy with Harden or Curry, although I think Harden will actually make the quickest impact. I think he's a smarter player than people give him credit for ..... he'll reach 10 ppg/5 rpb/5 abp faster than the rest of the group. The Wizards don't need another big scorer, they need a smart player.

I've come up w/ the deal for the Wizards. The #5 pick, Blatche, James, Stephenson and the Poet to Cleveland for Lebron. In addition to the players, Cleveland will also receive 1 year of unlimited minutes from Verizon and a complimentary luxury box for all games that Cleveland plays at VC as well as limo service from the airport and a complimentary stay at the nearby Hyatt. Let's get it done.

If the Wiz were going to use McGee to trade up to get Thabeet, I think the question becomes is the potential of Thabeet that much greater than the potential of McGee (who already has one year of pro experience) to warrant such a move.

It has been reported that Wiz are high on McGee, but EG always keeps his cards close to the vest. I am sure he will make whatever move (of those he has available) he feels will help the team the most.

"If the Wiz were going to use McGee to trade up to get Thabeet, I think the question becomes is the potential of Thabeet that much greater than the potential of McGee (who already has one year of pro experience) to warrant such a move."

I don't know why they would make that trade. McGee is a work in progress with about the same amount of raw potential as the guy from UConn, and he comes cheaper.

If McGee were in his third year and hadn't developed much, then maybe they'd look seriously at moving him. But if the Wiz FO moved talented guys because they were slow to develop, Nick Young and Andray Blatche would be long gone by now. I'm guessing Grunfeld's philosophy is, win now with veterans, and store young talent on your deep bench. And hope the youngsters mature into something good.

What team needs Thabeet? Oklahoma City could use a shot blocker at center. So could Memphis.

Trading McGee for a deal to get Thabeet, or anyone not an All Star starter today, would be an awful move but certainly consistent with our storied history of trading away young, talented big men.

Curry is still 6'2", hasn't grown an inch in the few months since the end of the college season. There are quite a few 6" college players who avg. 25-30 pts a game in college and predictably bust in the league. Only Iverson and recently Chris Paul are able to dominate, Curry is not 1/10 the athlete either of them were/are. Some folks would add Nelson and he is steady but I am not sure he would be able to thrive outside of his current environment.

I have not wavered in my support for Evans. I think, aside from obvious physical assets, he has the sort of attitude this team needs….I could see this guy losing it after a loss and breaking up the light hearted atmosphere. I just don’t see the payday alone being adequate to placate this guy, he needs to win.

I understand the team as constructed currently is not going to play lock down defense but they are not going to outscore teams to win a championship. The Lakers won because they tightened the screws on Howard as no other team had done. Fine if we want to be the Suns of the East, should be fun to watch, just know the end result will be no greater success than the Suns of the West.

Lastly, hclark1 is likely about 12 years old and cuts and pastes the same post whenever his parents forget to lock the computer. Go out and play some basketball son.

Why not put a package of 1's together and get Blake Griffin? If he is smart he won't want to play for the Clippers! His brother already said before the draft he wanted to come here. Why wouldn't Pollin roll the dice one last time?

The one player they shouldn't pick is Harden. He reminds me of Calbert Chaney. If I'm not mistaken he, too, is a lefty, just like Cheney. The best pick would be Curry. He is the most NBA-ready player available at #5. Gil and Curry in the backcourt would be deadly for defenses. I'll move Gil to the 2 and have Curry running the point. True, this line up could be a defense liability, but you would have Stevenson coming off the bench as a defensive specialist. All Curry and Gil would have to do is play just a tad of D.

Our only choice in the frontcourt is HILL. Backcourt EVANS. We need a back-up at center for HAYWOOD. Last season should have made that fact painfully obvious. Take the best available and trade for the best center back-up (PACHULIA - HAWKS). Then release SONGAILA from center chores, and use McGEE at both #4 and #5 depending on the competition. The operative words here regarding McGEE are - USE HIM.

Few things on all that has been on the blog
1/ Take it, Amare has retinal detachment, still told not to do any activity if he want sustain his vision.Do you expect him before all star game? think about it, retinal detachment has a chance to reoccur in 45-65% of cases although the above statstics is done on elderly patients where the disease is common.Well wiz are known to take risk, do they have an opthalmologist that they can take advice?
2/ Thabeet is the best pick if he come down to #5, does he deserve JM trade? I do not think so, Is he better than JM? yes he is much better than JM, he already has the fundamental and foot work to be an excellent defender around the rim, he is a work on strength and jump shoot. What is the quality of JM except his extra ordenary spead in the floor?, he might be an exceptional player in few years but no single plus on the ball at this time. He does not even handle the ball, he lost the majority of the balls that he touch for rebounding, it could be his strengt but if he has a 7.6 span why his palm is not firm on the ball?
3/ who to pick among the 7 players? Jordan hill has the best value. None of these collection is a right away contributer.The big man atleast rebound the ball. If Blache is not going to be as expected ,he will take some minutes and will have a better trade value than any of the gards.

It would be a sad day, probably not the saddest though, in Les BouleS history if they drafted Curry.

Why would they need another shoot first guard, who happens to be rail thin, on the team? How many teams in NBA history have won a ring led by shoot first guards that don't play any defense on a team that has no inside scoring?

There is new rumor of swapping 5 to NY for 8 and picking up SF Wilson Chandler...

I hope we don't take Brandon Jennings. I can't help it but everytime I see him I think of this crazy dude on that show Oz. If anyone saw that show near the end of the series there was this really crazy dude, he was hilarious, but he was seriously crazy. Jennings is a dead ringer for that guy.

"How many teams in NBA history have won a ring led by shoot first guards that don't play any defense on a team that has no inside scoring?Posted by: DC_MAN88"

Not really a fair question, is it? Be like asking, "how many NFL teams with a really good QB but no defense receivers have ever won the Super Bowl?" Not going to be many in that column, either, but that's because of the way the question was asked.

I always thought the least talented team to win an NBA championship was the Golden State Warriors, who boasted Rick Barry and a bunch of spear-carriers. I forget who they beat....

"If the Wiz were going to use McGee to trade up to get Thabeet, I think the question becomes is the potential of Thabeet that much greater than the potential of McGee (who already has one year of pro experience) to warrant such a move." - cannontl

Exactly. Thabeet might be worth looking at if he falls to the 5th spot, but giving up McGee to move up doesn't make sense. They both need to gain mass in order to be effective defensively in the pros, and McGee is already better offensively.

"And for those of you that did not know it, you must pick what is best for your Team, unless there is a can't miss blue chipper which this draft does not have at the 5 slot." - LarryInClintonMD

I disagree that you have to pick a player who fits in best with your team. You should take the best possible player. If he's redundant, you can trade away the other player to get the help that you need. Except for pretty much one year when the Pistons beat the Lakers, predominantly, talent wins in the NBA. Now if you have multiple guys with the same talent level, then sure, pick the best fit.

"The only player that the Wizards have a chance to get that will immediately enhance the Team is Hasheem Thabeet. I would do whatever is necessary to acquire him without destroying my base."

Still disagree. Our largest hole is the starting SG spot. Thabeet would come in and be a backup to Haywood, and possibly not even beat out McGee for that spot. That doesn't really enhance our team much.

I still think the 'Zards should talk to Charlotte about a trade. Pick up Bell, get Henderson and Green in the draft. You got 3 guys right there who all excel at defense but can still provide something to the offense. If we were able to include a swap of Butler and Wallace in the deal we'd help our defense even more without really hurting our offense.

"Not really a fair question, is it? Be like asking, "how many NFL teams with a really good QB but no defense receivers have ever won the Super Bowl?" Not going to be many in that column, either, but that's because of the way the question was asked.

I always thought the least talented team to win an NBA championship was the Golden State Warriors, who boasted Rick Barry and a bunch of spear-carriers. I forget who they beat....

Posted by: Samson151 | June 20, 2009 9:17 PM "

The way you frame your example isn't fair.

On a basketball team, probably 2-3 are core players and up to 7-8 are part of the core rotation. In an NFL team, you're talking about a lot more pieces that need to click together including the OL, TE, & RB's.

Giving Gilby max money when he's not a max money player is like loosening the lug nuts off the microbus wheels before going on a cross country trip. Not smart.

I am glad to see that someone else sees the light of Danny Green being a good fit for the Wiz. But, truthfully they can wait until their early 2nd round pick to draft him. If someone else takes him some where in the 1st round, expect to hear that team get butchered by analysts.

I also think that the Wiz could get more value from their first pick if they trade down and I definitely do not want them to pick Hill.

I'm starting to wonder if we might be able to survive without a major upgrade at the 2. We lacked three point shooting this year because Mike James, DeShawn, Juan, and Dominic couldn't get it done. The year before, DeShawn was able to knock down threes. But before that, our main deep threat was Agent Zero. With Gil coming back, maybe we can live with a lack of shooting from the 2. Remember when we used to use the combo of Ared Effries/Antonio Daniels/Arvis Hayes at the 2? Can't get much worse outside shooting than that. Maybe Dom/Nick/Crit can get the job done alongside Gil. If we need to upgrade for a playoff run, we can wait until the trade deadline, when our expiring contracts reach their peak value.

If Harden, Thabeet or Rubio are available Ernie will jump on them. But if they're gone then I think he'll trade down----possibly way down.
Why commit $3Mil/year for someone who has too many ?????'s about weather he can contribute right now. We got several projects under contract already.
Trade down or for a 2010 1st rounder.
I'm sure this would appeal to Abe.

Michael, you wrote "TYREKE EVANS, Memphis
Why the Wizards Should Take Him:The 6-6 freshman point guard is a speed demon with the ball in his hands."

SI's Ian Thomsen wrote:

On Tyreke Evans. A few league experts believe the 6-5 freshman from Memphis could be the top point guard -- and the second-best player overall -- in the draft. "He isn't very explosive, he doesn't have the vertical hops that you see in guys like Dwyane Wade -- he's a very strong, low-to-the-ground diesel type,"

Are you guys talking about the same player ? "speed demon" ? "isn't very explosive" ? "diesel type" ?

I am with the thought that none of these guys are a great choice. I think this pick is long gone unless Harden is still there and that may not even matter. We don't need anymore projects or players with the proverbial potential.

And, I don't understand this myth that we have a 3 pt shooting deficit (defending the 3 maybe..lol). We may have last year because a guy named Arenas and a guy named Stevenson were hurt. If they are healthy, our 3 pt shooting is automatically upgraded. Plus, guys like AJ will get better "looks" from beyond the arc. It's all a part of being healthy and everyone being in their intended roles.

Refusing to simply muscle his way to the hoop (which he did handily a few times), he scored in a half a dozen different ways. Pull-ups on the wing, runners, balanced fade-aways, and a particularly spectacular jab-step and crossover that sent Flynn (without question the best defender of the group) reeling. His jumper needs work but I wouldn't call it a weakness, and he'll definitely hit enough to force defenders to respect it.

Read the rest of the story on TrueHoops. Need I keep on singing the Tyreke Evans song. He is the rael deal. All of the crazy trades and contracts need to quit. If Evans shows up @ # 5 he is the choice. Now go read about.